Fire Information

Note:

Residents who have been issued Fire Permits for Windrow Piles or Large Brush Piles, which size is greater that 3.6 meters long, 3.6 meters wide and 1.8 meters high, are reminded that their permits expire on March 31, 2019 at midnight. If you have any questions or require a fire permit to burn a Windrow Pile or Large Brush Pile prior to March 31st please call 780-939-8400

Fire Permits

Sturgeon County Council approved Burning Bylaw 1375/16 on October 11, 2016, which will see fire permits carry through year round instead of their previous schedule of April to October.

What types of fire permits are there?

Fire permits for Burn Barrels and Incinerators are issued for one year from the date of application.

Garden/Yard Debris permits are for piles smaller than 12'L x 12'W x 6'H and are issued for 30 days at a time, year round.

Large Brush Piles, Windrow Piles and Structure Fires are piles larger than 12'L x 12'W x 6'H and are only permitted from Dec 1st - March 31st. They require a site inspection from Emergency Services staff prior to a permit being issued. Permits are issued for 30 days or until March 31st and can be issued on site. These permits are not issued in multi lot subdivisions.

Do I need a permit for my fire pit?

Use of approved Fire Pits as listed in the proposed bylaw are permitted throughout Sturgeon County. A Fire Permit is not required under this Bylaw for an attended fire that is lit in an approved Fire Pit for recreation, cooking or warming purposes.

Where can I get a fire permit?

As the County’s on-line fire permitting system remains unavailable, residents are asked to be patient when applying for fire/firework permits. Requests received by phone, fax and email will be processed in the order they are received, within two business days.

Responsible Burning

All open fires and burning barrels, with the exception of campfires used for warming or cooking purposes, are permitted on lots larger than one acre. Responsible burning involves more than just applying for a fire permit. It’s important to know what is acceptable to burn and what is not; and to ensure the fire is under control at all times.

Things to remember before you burn:

Winds must be less than 15km per hour.

Sufficient tools, equipment and quantities of water readily available for the size of the burn being conducted

When burning in a burn barrel, barrel must be constructed of non-combustible material, free of damage, covered with a metal mesh screen with openings no more than 13mm, be located on a non-combustible base and be located at least 3 meters away from property lines or any combustibles.

You must obtain a fire permit and adhere to all of its conditions.

Take precautions to ensure the fire is under control at all times.

You are responsible for conducting a fire that is safe.

You must attend your fire at all times.

Smoke must not impair visibility on a roadway or highway

Consideration must be given to neighbours to avoid physical discomfort.

Please ensure your fire is completely extinguished.

Fire permits may be withdrawn if environmental conditions change.

Fire permits will not be issued when a County-wide fire ban is in effect.

Non-owners wishing to obtain a fire permit must provide written permission from the landowner. If you are interested in obtaining free Fire Smart hazard assessment booklets for your home and property, please contact Sturgeon County Protective Services at

780-939-8400.

What you can burn:

“Burnable Debris” means all inflammable waste other than prohibited debris and includes but is not limited to:

Straw and stubble

Grass and weeds, leaves and tree prunings

Wooden materials, which do not contain wood preservatives, from construction or demolition of buildings.

What you can’t burn:

"Prohibited Debris” means any inflammable waste that when burned, may result in the release of toxic substances into the atmosphere and includes but is not limited to:

Animal carcass and manure

Non-wooden material

Waste material from building or construction sites

Wood products containing substances for the purpose of preserving wood

Combustible material

Tires

Rubber or plastic

Used oil

Wildfire Prevention

For tips on how to prevent wildfires, please see the Government of Alberta's Wildfire Prevention page.